vanity fair(名利场)-第94章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


who　walked　or　rode　with　him　（as　she　had　many；　too
many；　opportunities　of　doing；　for　where　was　George？）
and　who　interposed　her　sweet　face　between　his　anger
and　her　husband's　scorn。　　Many　timid　remonstrances　had
she　uttered　to　George　in　behalf　of　her　brother；　but　the
former　in　his　trenchant　way　cut　these　entreaties　short。
〃I'm　an　honest　man；〃　he　said；　〃and　if　I　have　a　feeling
I　show　it；　as　an　honest　man　will。　　How　the　deuce；　my
dear；　would　you　have　me　behave　respectfully　to　such　a
fool　as　your　brother？〃　　So　Jos　was　pleased　with　George's
absence。　　His　plain　hat；　and　gloves　on　a　sideboard；　and
the　idea　that　the　owner　was　away；　caused　Jos　I　don't
know　what　secret　thrill　of　pleasure。　　〃HE　won't　be
troubling　me　this　morning；〃　Jos　thought；　〃with　his
dandified　airs　and　his　impudence。〃
　
〃Put　the　Captain's　hat　into　the　ante…room；〃　he　said
to　Isidor；　the　servant。
　
〃Perhaps　he　won't　want　it　again；〃　replied　the　lackey；
looking　knowingly　at　his　master。　　He　hated　George　too；
whose　insolence　towards　him　was　quite　of　the　English
sort。
　
〃And　ask　if　Madame　is　coming　to　breakfast；〃　Mr。
Sedley　said　with　great　majesty；　ashamed　to　enter　with　a
servant　upon　the　subject　of　his　dislike　for　George。　　The
truth　is；　he　had　abused　his　brother　to　the　valet　a　score
of　times　before。
Alas！　　Madame　could　not　come　to　breakfast；　and　cut
the　tartines　that　Mr。　Jos　liked。　　Madame　was　a　great　deal
too　ill；　and　had　been　in　a　frightful　state　ever　since　her
husband's　departure；　so　her　bonne　said。　　Jos　showed　his
sympathy　by　pouring　her　out　a　large　cup　of　tea　It　was
his　way　of　exhibiting　kindness：　　and　he　improved　on　this；
he　not　only　sent　her　breakfast；　but　he　bethought　him
what　delicacies　she　would　most　like　for　dinner。
Isidor；　the　valet；　had　looked　on　very　sulkily；　while
Osborne's　servant　was　disposing　of　his　master's　baggage
previous　to　the　Captain's　departure：　　for　in　the　first　place
he　hated　Mr。　Osborne；　whose　conduct　to　him；　and　to
all　inferiors；　was　generally　overbearing　（nor　does　the
continental　domestic　like　to　be　treated　with　insolence　as
our　own　better…tempered　servants　do）；　and　secondly；　he
was　angry　that　so　many　valuables　should　be　removed
from　under　his　hands；　to　fall　into　other　people's　possession
when　the　English　discomfiture　should　arrive。　　Of　this
defeat　he　and　a　vast　number　of　other　persons　in　Brussels
and　Belgium　did　not　make　the　slightest　doubt。　　The　almost
universal　belief　was；　that　the　Emperor　would　divide
the　Prussian　and　English　armies；　annihilate　one　after　the
other；　and　march　into　Brussels　before　three　days　were
over：　　when　all　the　movables　of　his　present　masters；　who
would　be　killed；　or　fugitives；　or　prisoners；　would　lawfully
become　the　property　of　Monsieur　Isidor。
As　he　helped　Jos　through　his　toilsome　and　complicated
daily　toilette；　this　faithful　servant　would　calculate　what
he　should　do　with　the　very　articles　with　which　he　was
decorating　his　master's　person。　　He　would　make　a　present
of　the　silver　essence…bottles　and　toilet　knicknacks　to　a
young　lady　of　whom　he　was　fond；　and　keep　the　English
cutlery　and　the　large　ruby　pin　for　himself。　　It　would
look　very　smart　upon　one　of　the　fine　frilled　shirts；　which；
with　the　gold…laced　cap　and　the　frogged　frock　coat；　that
might　easily　be　cut　down　to　suit　his　shape；　and　the　Captain's
gold…headed　cane；　and　the　great　double　ring　with
the　rubies；　which　he　would　have　made　into　a　pair　of
beautiful　earrings；　he　calculated　would　make　a　perfect
Adonis　of　himself；　and　render　Mademoiselle　Reine　an
easy　prey。　　〃How　those　sleeve…buttons　will　suit　me！〃
thought　he；　as　he　fixed　a　pair　on　the　fat　pudgy　wrists　of
Mr。　Sedley。　　〃I　long　for　sleeve…buttons；　and　the　Captain's
boots　with　brass　spurs；　in　the　next　room；　corbleu！　　what
an　effect　they　will　make　in　the　Allee　Verte！〃　So　while
Monsieur　Isidor　with　bodily　fingers　was　holding　on　to　his
master's　nose；　and　shaving　the　lower　part　of　Jos's　face；
his　imagination　was　rambling　along　the　Green　Avenue；
dressed　out　in　a　frogged　coat　and　lace；　and　in　company
with　Mademoiselle　Reine；　he　was　loitering　in　spirit　on
the　banks；　and　examining　the　barges　sailing　slowly　under
the　cool　shadows　of　the　trees　by　the　canal；　or　refreshing
himself　with　a　mug　of　Faro　at　the　bench　of　a　beer…house
on　the　road　to　Laeken。
But　Mr。　Joseph　Sedley；　luckily　for　his　own　peace；　no
more　knew　what　was　passing　in　his　domestic's　mind　than
the　respected　reader；　and　I　suspect　what　John　or　Mary；
whose　wages　we　pay；　think　of　ourselves。　　What　our
servants　think　of　us！Did　we　know　what　our　intimates　and
dear　relations　thought　of　us；　we　should　live　in　a　world
that　we　should　be　glad　to　quit；　and　in　a　frame　of　mind
and　a　constant　terror；　that　would　be　perfectly　unbearable。
So　Jos's　man　was　marking　his　victim　down；　as　you
see　one　of　Mr。　Paynter's　assistants　in　Leadenhall　Street
ornament　an　unconscious　turtle　with　a　placard　on　which
is　written；　〃Soup　to…morrow。〃
Amelia's　attendant　was　much　less　selfishly　disposed。
Few　dependents　could　come　near　that　kind　and　gentle
creature　without　paying　their　usual　tribute　of　loyalty
and　affection　to　her　sweet　and　affectionate　nature。　　And
it　is　a　fact　that　Pauline；　the　cook；　consoled　her　mistress
more　than　anybody　whom　she　saw　on　this　wretched
morning；　for　when　she　found　how　Amelia　remained　for　hours；
silent；　motionless；　and　haggard；　by　the　windows　in　which
she　had　placed　herself　to　watch　the　last　bayonets　of　the
column　as　it　marched　away；　the　honest　girl　took　the
lady's　hand；　and　said；　Tenez；　Madame；　est…ce　qu'il　n'est
pas　aussi　a　l'armee；　mon　homme　a　moi？　　with　which
she　burst　into　tears；　and　Amelia　falling　into　her　arms；
did　likewise；　and　so　each　pitied　and　soothed　the　other。
Several　times　during　the　forenoon　Mr。　Jos's　Isidor
went　from　his　lodgings　into　the　town；　and　to　the　gates
of　the　hotels　and　lodging…houses　round　about　the　Parc；
where　the　English　were　congregated；　and　there　mingled
with　other　valets；　couriers；　and　lackeys；　gathered　such
news　as　was　abroad；　and　brought　back　bulletins　for　his
master's　information。　　Almost　all　these　gentlemen　were　in
heart　partisans　of　the　Emperor；　and　had　their　opinions
about　the　speedy　end　of　the　campaign。　　The　Emperor's
proclamation　from　Avesnes　had　been　distributed
everywhere　plentifully　in　Brussels。　　〃Soldiers！〃　　it　said；　〃this
is　the　anniversary　of　Marengo　and　Friedland；　by　which　the
destinies　of　Europe　were　twice　decided。　　Then；　as　after
Austerlitz；　as　after　Wagram；　we　were　too　generous。　　We
believed　in　the　oaths　and　promises　of　princes　whom　we
suffered　to　remain　upon　their　thrones。　　Let　us　march　once
more　to　meet　them。　　We　and　they；　are　we　not　still　the
same　men？　　Soldiers！　　these　same　Prussians　who　are　so
arrogant　to…day；　were　three　to　one　against　you　at　Jena；
and　six　to　one　at　Montmirail。　　Those　among　you　who
were　prisoners　in　England　can　tell　their　comrades　what
frightful　torments　they　suffered　on　board　the　English
hulks。　　Madmen！　　a　moment　of　prosperity　has　blinded
them；　and　if　they　enter　into　France　it　will　be　to　find　a
grave　there！〃　　But　the　partisans　of　the　French　prophesied
a　more　speedy　extermination　of　the　Emperor's　enemies
than　this；　and　it　was　agreed　on　all　hands　that　Prussians
and　British　would　never　return　except　as　prisoners　in　the
rear　of　the　conquering　army。
These　opinions　in　the　course　of　the　day　were　brought
to　operate　upon　Mr。　Sedley。　　He　was　told　that　the　Duke
of　Wellington　had　gone　to　try　and　rally　his　army；　the
advance　of　which　had　been　utterly　crushed　the　night
before。
〃Crushed；　psha！〃　said　Jos；　whose　heart　was　pretty
stout　at　breakfast…time。　　〃The　Duke　has　gone　to　beat　the
Emperor　as　he　has　beaten　all　his　generals　before。〃
〃His　papers　are　burned；　his　effects　are　removed；　and　his
quarters　are　being　got　ready　for　the　Duke　of　Dalmatia；〃
Jos's　informant　replied。　　〃I　had　it　from　his　own　maitre
d'hotel。　　Milor　Duc　de　Richemont's　people　are　packing
up　everything。　　His　Grace　has　fled　already；　and　the
Duchess　is　only　waiting　to　see　the　plate　packed　to　join　the
King　of　France　at　Ostend。〃
〃The　King　of　France　is　at　Ghent；　fellow；〃　replied　Jos；
affecting　incredulity。
　
〃He　fled　last　night　to　Bruges；　and　embarks　today　from
Ostend。　　The　Duc　de　Berri　is　taken　prisoner。　　Those　who
wis